Yay! You have your new, customized garments decorated with HTV/HTP but what comes next? How do you care for your personalized clothing? Taking care of your heat transfer vinyl and paper decorated creation is a must, let’s talk about some easy things to keep in mind to make sure your garments are well taken care of and last a lifetime!

Wait!

HTV and HTP take time to cure. It is recommended that you wait at least 48-72 hours before washing your garment. Depending on shipping times, this period may have already lapsed but it is better to be safe than sorry!

Don't dry clean

You should never dry clean garments decorated with HTV or HTP. The dry cleaning process has a lot of chemicals and high temperatures that will damage your heat transfer vinyl.

Wash and dry inside out

This step is recommended for not only the initial wash but also every wash / dry cycle after that. When washing and drying clothes, they rub against each other and can cause irritation or abrasion of the print. If you wash the garments inside out, there is an extra layer of protection between your vinyl and the other clothing in the laundry.

Choose cold water for washing

When washing clothing decorated with HTV or HTP, you should never use temperatures that exceed 85C°. If the temperature of the water is too high, it can weaken the adhesive of the vinyl, causing it to peel or crack with time. We recommend washing in cold or warm water.

Use mild detergent

Any detergent that has special additives to "whiten", "fight stains", or "brighten colors" is going to be too harsh for your HTV or HTP. Also, “green” detergent is typically too corrosive for heat transfer vinyl.

Dry on low or hang dry

Hang dry is the best way to dry HTV and HTP decorated garments, but it is okay to tumble dry or use low heat. Just like with the washing process, you want to use minimal heat to protect your heat transfer vinyl. If you choose to hang dry your clothing, it will also help minimize wrinkles seen in the HTV after washing.

Don’t iron directly on it

Just like with washing and drying, ironing can be very high temperatures, so you want to avoid ironing the garment when possible. Ironing can cause the vinyl or adhesive to melt or burn. If you must iron the shirt, make sure you are using low heat and you have a cloth or towel between the iron and transfer.

No bleach or fabric softeners

Just like with detergent, fabric softeners, and bleach can be very damaging to your HTV or HTP. We suggest NEVER using bleach or fabric softeners on your decorated garments, to ensure your transfer lasts.

Following this guide should help you get the most out of your custom clothing!

TailSpin will not offer refunds for items that are damaged due to general wear and tear or poor care. For more information, check out our Returns & FAQ page.